What do you understand by the term happiness? Is it something that depends on external factors? Well, happiness is a term that depicts an optimistic mental state. Happiness can have different meanings for different people. Like, many find happiness in earning money, a good position & wealth but materialistic things are not the secret of happiness, sometimes a person might have wealth & still not be happy.  Money can only buy temporary happiness. 

So, now the question is what exactly is the mantra to the secret of happiness? What can give us happiness? Happiness is a beautiful mixture of satisfaction, joy, and a positive mindset. Gandhi Ji quotes “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”. If we start to embrace this quote, we might gain a positive outlook toward life, have an optimistic approach toward our thoughts & start loving what we do and are, which might reveal the ultimate three secrets of happiness.

However, let me tell you about today’s scenario. Can anyone say they are truly happy & satisfied with life? Very few or almost no one. Today, people have such high expectations that they are never satisfied with whatever they have or achieve in life. They are unable to find happiness in small things, when they achieve something, they keep hoping for more & more.

 Happiness for me is like art; the one who commends this art lives a satisfying life thus gaining true happiness. Everyone seeks happiness in life & finds out different ways to achieve it. But most of the time, it is always temporary. For really to be happy one must start accepting the changes around him/her, as changes are the only constant in this life. “Happiness depends upon ourselves”. We only are the ones responsible for our happiness. 

Happiness is a choice. No one can make us happy for real. Most of us always feel hopeless & sad about our lives. But, we should develop the attitude to realize that whatever happens, happens for good. Even if clouds of sorrow darken our lives sometimes, we should not feel depressed. We should remember the words of the English poet, Shelley: “If winter comes, can spring be far behind”. Furthermore, It is not necessary to have many big things to be happy. A grateful person finds happiness even in small things in life. Thus, optimism, self-realization, gratitude, and satisfaction are the major keys to happiness. Thus, to be happy, one must first understand what real happiness is to him.  “Live, enjoy each & every moment of your life”. Otherwise, one would spend his whole life in search of temporary happiness. Your happiness is what you choose. Happiness adds to the beauty of a person.

By: Salon Giri (Science, H1)